Chapter Seventeen

Clarice's heart raced as she stood in the elevator with Hunter, the man she had been waiting for. She tried to hide her face in her large bag, pretending to have an itch in her throat to avoid his attention. But when she couldn't suppress a cough, Hunter became aware of her presence.

Hunter turned to see a petite woman, huddled in the corner like a scared mouse. He couldn't see her face clearly, but her body reminded him of an avocado – his type. Clarice tried to steal glances at him, noticing that he looked even worse than before, probably due to a rendezvous gone wrong. Serves him right, she thought.

As Hunter was about to press a floor button, Clarice sneaked a peek at him, feeling annoyed by his presence. When he asked her which floor she wanted, she tried to disguise her voice as an old lady's.

"E-Eleventh floor," she said with a hoarse voice, hoping to throw him off her trail.

Hunter, intrigued by her voice, was determined to see her face. Clarice panicked and pretended to have a cold, donning a clinical mask and dark sunglasses. She thought she had successfully hidden her identity until Hunter's hand landed on her shoulder, making her flinch and smack her bag into her face, causing a loud thwacking sound.

In pain from the encounter, Clarice cursed Hunter silently and berated him for his antics. When he questioned her again, she maintained her disguise and acted like an old lady, hoping to dissuade his suspicions. But Hunter's curiosity only grew, and he tried to catch a glimpse of her face, resulting in a comical back-and-forth struggle.

Finally, the elevator stopped, and Clarice dashed out, trying to escape Hunter's relentless pursuit. But Hunter, being quick on his feet, caught up with her and pinned her against the wall, determined to uncover her identity.

Frustrated with Hunter's constant pestering, Clarice scolded him for his wayward lifestyle and lack of responsibility. Ignoring his pleas to stop, she continued lecturing him until Hunter couldn't bear it anymore. In an impulsive moment, he silenced her with a passionate kiss, mistaking her for his mysterious goddess from last night.

Reality hit him hard, and he pulled back, realizing he had just kissed Clarice, not his goddess. Confused and speechless, he watched as she fled down the stairs, leaving him at a loss for words and pondering the strange turn of events.

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